I'm really, really sorry for the long delay in updating guys. RL has been so horrible it's unbelievable. One bug after another on top of a bad case of anaemia hadn't helped at all. My muse went walkabout along with my ability to put my mind to anything except existing. Still, I hope – fingers crossed here! – that all will be well now. I'll keep up with the pills – maybe they'll work eventually!

I will warn you now, that I will be off-line for a couple of weeks after the new year! I also hope to update again before that time comes.

My best wishes go out to all of my readers, for a very happy Christmas, or holiday, or whatever you celebrate, and I wish you all the best for 2006.

Danger Zone.

By Lingren.

Previously:-

"Well, it all started when I arrived at the hotel..." he said, not looking up at anyone. He didn't want to see condemnation in their eyes where once he saw trust.

Chapter 16

The tale didn't take long to tell. He couldn't remember a lot of the details, everything was a blur of drugs and pain. He remembered being comforted by Sharon, at least, after the first injection when he felt like crap. After the second jab, things became weird and out of focus and couldn't recall anything much of what happened, only that they had then taken him somewhere and dumped him. He just couldn't recall any details.

He knew it wasn't enough, but damn it, he just couldn't remember. He also knew the circumstantial evidence was damning him but try as he might he couldn't get past the blockage in his memory.

He lay back exhausted and frustrated.

Janet and Annie both agreed that Jack should rest, and that he'd be best left to sleep for a while. Maybe, they hoped, that the rest might allow his memory to return in more detail.

Janet shooed her companions out into the corridor, not even allowing Sam to stay.

The Major stood at the doorway and looked back at the man she loved, but Jack had his eyes closed and didn't see the look of anguish on her face.

He didn't want to see how much his own anxiety about the sketchy details had hurt her. He knew the moment that he'd said he didn't recall the rape that she'd withdrawn from him. He couldn't bear to see the hurt on her face. As for himself, her reluctance to trust him also hurt. It was as physical a pain as any of the injuries he had sustained. If anything, it was far worse. Broken trust was a hundred times more painful than any broken bone in his book.

He felt, rather than saw someone, either Janet or Annie, he didn't care who at that point, fiddle with the IV line, then sleep tugged at his consciousness and he allowed it to claim him, shutting out the pain.

OoOoOoOoO

"We have to get him away from here," Major Davis said unceremoniously when they'd reached the room set aside for their private use.

"Indeed. Officer Gruber will not tolerate our delaying tactics for long," Teal'c rumbled, as usual stating the obvious.

"Karen said he wasn't happy by a long shot. If I know Gruber, he'll be back with reinforcements any time soon, and probably some sort of legal document that will mean we'll have no choice but to hand him over. I can't keep Jack here any longer if that happens. If you're going to act, you should do so without delay," Annie confirmed.

"Is he well enough to travel?" Sam asked, worried about the effect a long journey might have on the Colonel.

"If we keep him sedated, then he should be okay, but there's always a risk something could go wrong during the trip," Janet said, "but, well, I think he should be alright."

"I'll make the necessary arrangements," Davis said, already taking out his cell phone. He moved away into the corner, dialling the number as he moved.

Sam sat down on one of the chairs with a heavy sigh and Janet watched with growing concern. Her friend had seemed happy but now her spirits seemed to have hit rock bottom. She sat down beside her, giving the others just enough of a silent message to leave them alone for a moment to talk in private. Daniel headed out of the door with Teal'c to fetch some coffee from the machine down the hall.

"Sam?" Janet began.

"Hmmm?" Sam answered, not rousing from her inner turmoil, and not looking up.

"What's up?" Janet persisted like only a really close friend could.

Sam hung her head in shame.

Janet tried to peer under the hair, but Sam didn't want her seeing how she felt right now, and turned away slightly.

"It's because of what the Colonel said isn't it?" Janet probed gently.

Sam let out a frustrated growl.

"What if he...?" Sam tried to voice her thoughts but came up short. She shouldn't be like this. She trusted him. So why was she feeling like he had betrayed that trust?

"I think you know the answer to that already Sam. I don't believe he did it for a moment. I thought you loved him? So why doubt him now?"

Sam couldn't answer in words only giving her reply in a shrug of her shoulders and a quick snort of self loathing.

"You know he needs you more than ever right now. He needs to know you still trust him, no matter what he can or can't remember. You've worked with him for years Sam. You know him, perhaps better than anyone else. If he knows you believe he did this, then how must that make him feel?"

Sam sat upright with sudden clarity. She hadn't thought of it like that.

"Oh god, Janet. Do you think he...?"

"Knowing him? Them most probably, yes."

"I have to go back to him. I need to tell him..."

"He's asleep, and will most likely be out of it for a few hours Sam." Janet pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. I can be there when he wakes up."

Janet smiled, knowing she had succeeded. She laid a hand on Sam's arm and squeezed it gently.

"Go to him Sam. Make sure he know he has our trust. That all of us would trust him with our lives."

"Sure!" Sam said, jumping up and hurrying from the room.

Daniel who had returned with coffee for everyone smiled down at Janet and winked as he handed hers to her. He knew what she was up to and approved wholeheartedly. Teal'c did too and merely dipped his head in approval, as he gave the Major his cup.

OoOoOoOoO

Sam stayed beside Jack's bed, holding his hand all the time he slept. She kept looking towards the door, thinking that any minute Gruber would barge in and take Jack from them. Looking down at Jack, she could see his rest wasn't a peaceful sleep by any means. He was constantly troubled, tossing his head from side to side, and Sam wondered what was going on inside it.

After another thirty minutes or so, his eyelids fluttered open and he stared up at the plain white ceiling.

"Jack?"

His whispered name caught his attention and he turned his head to see Sam sitting in the chair beside him. He also realised that she was holding his hand too. His puzzled frown jolted her into her confession.

"I'm sorry," she sighed, looking down at their joined hands, tears of regret already forming behind her eyes.

"Why?" he asked, his voice betraying his still listless state.

"I never meant... I didn't...!" Sam stuttered and faltered under the hard gaze.

"No!" he said eventually. "You were right. You shouldn't trust me. You don't know what I'm capable of." He pulled his hand from hers and turned away before she could see what the action had cost him.

Sam was stunned by his words, not wanting to believe what she had heard.

She pulled herself up short and took a deep breath, determined to settle this here and now.

"I'm not leaving you Jack. You're right, I don't know what you're capable of. I don't really know you the man and I won't if you shut me out now. I love you Jack O'Neill and I'm sticking by you...no matter what." She reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair from his brow with a tender gesture that made him waver in his resolve to stay aloof from everyone in the mistaken idea that the less they knew, the better.

She leaned down and swept a chaste kiss over his cheek and whispered those three little words in his ear.

"I...Love...You!"

He sucked in a huge sigh and couldn't help but respond to her message. He turned back to her to see tears welling up in her wondrous azure eyes and he bit his lip to stop it from wavering at the look of sheer trust on her face. She did trust him, no matter what it might cost her in the future. He only hoped it was worth it, because he still had his own doubts about the truth.

She smiled through the moisture at his fuzzy face, but she could see he was going to be okay with everything.

"I love you too Sam," he said, longing to encompass her in his arms. He did the best he could given the circumstances and held her against him with his one good arm.

She buried her face in his chest, trying not to hurt him, smiling through the fresh tears.

He gently shushed her and laid his chin on the top of her head, feeling her warmth creeping into the coldness that had filled his dreams not long before.

After a minute or two, or ten, she pulled away with a smile.

"We're getting you out of here Jack. Gruber wants you back in his custody but Major Davis and General Hammond agree that you should be a whole lot safer at the SGC."

"You think I'm in danger?" he gasped in surprise.

"To tell you the truth, we're not sure, but that cop, Gruber, seems determined that you should be in his jail regardless of your injuries. I don't trust him Jack. He's...too... I don't know... eager, if you ask me. I don't think your good health is uppermost in his mind once you're in his clutches."

"But why?"

"I don't know! There's just, something about him that makes me feel like he's got something to do with all of this. Call it a hunch if you like..."

"Okay, I'll buy that," he said, knowing he'd trust her hunches any day. "So, when?" he asked, needing to know when he was being moved.

"As soon as Major Davis can arrange transport. Both Janet and Annie agree that you should be well enough to travel now."

TBC